Car-coupling



(No Model.)

A W. R. HUNTER.

. GAR COUPLING. No. 461,546. Patented Oct. 20, 1891.

against the dead-block D, although permit-- UNITED STATES PATENT @EETCE.

WVILLIAM R. HUNTER, OF DAMARISCOTTA, MAINE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,546, dated October20, 1891.

Application filed July 10, 1891.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. HUNTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Damariscotta, in the county of Lincoln and State ofMaine,have invented a new and usef ul Oar-Coupling, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to car-couplings, and more especially to thatclass thereof known as gravity pin-supports; and the object of the sameis to produce certain improvements in car-couplings of this character.

To this end the invention consists in the specific details ofconstruction, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and asillustrated on the sheet of drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspectiveView of the end of a car taken slightly from the under side and having adraw-head embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinalsection of two draw-heads and d raw-bars, showing one in its normalposition and showing the other with the link locked therein and with thedraw-bar depressed from a horizontal plane. Fig. 3 is a detail,in sideelevation, of the coupling-pin and latch. Fig. 4 is an enlargedperspective detail of the link.

Referring to the said drawings, the letter O designates the car-body,beneath which in suitable guides is arranged the draw-bar B, having theusual buffer-springs. Beneath the front ends of said guides G is ahorizontal plate H, having an elongated slot or opening 0, and dependingfrom the body of the drawbar is a vertical pin V. Coiled on this pinbetween the plate and the draw-bar isa spring S, which normally holdsthe draw-bar raised ting it to descend under the influences of railwaytravel. I

At the front of the draw-bar is the. drawhead, having the usualpin-opening near its mouth, having depending flanges F at its sides, andhaving an elongated slot E in its body, extending through its upper andlower sides.

Mounted on a transverse pivot T is the lower end of an operating-arm A,which rises above the body of the draw-head, as seen, and from whoseupper end a chain or cord 'N may lead upwardly to the platform of apassenger Serial No. 399,036. (No model.)

or to the top of a freight car, whereby this arm may be operated. Thesaid arm projects forwardly from its pivot and then rises upwardly, thusmaking a double elbow, and pivoted to the front elbow is the curvedcouplin g-pin P,which moves through the pin-open- 9;:

Pivoted to the arm just in rear of the coupling-pin is a curved catch 0,whose body passes downwardly through the slotted body of the draw-headand is provided at a proper point with a single tooth R, in the shape ofa ratchet-tooth.

Rising from the draw-head at a proper point, about above the transversepivot T, is a lugL, spanning the slotE.

The link L, which i employ in connection with the devices abovedescribed, is perhaps best seen in Fig. 4, and it comprises a body offlat sheet metal, with pin-openings nearits ends, a central dependingprojection d, and a flat spring f, centrally secured to said projection,extending beyond the ends of the body and turned down at its extremitiese.

In operation, the link being inserted in one draw-head, as seen in Fig.2, when the cars come together the projecting end of the spring f passesbetween the flanges F and abuts against the lower end of the catch 0 onthe other car, while the body of the link passes into the mouth of thedraw-head. The lower end of the catch is driven to the rear, so that itstooth R moves out of engagement with the front end of the slot E in thebottom of the draw-head, and the whole device shown in Fig. 3 fallsaround the pivot Tby gravity, the coupling-pin P passing through thelink. When the cars are connected, or, in fact, in the operation ofcoupling them, if the drawheads do not align horizontally the higher onewill be depressed, so as to compress the spring S, and this depressionwill occur in the act of coupling and be brought about by the peculiarshape of the coupling-link.

When it is desired to uncouple the cars, the chain or cord N is drawnupon to raise the arm A, and with it the pin and catch. Theformerdisengages the link and leaves it free, while'the catch drawsupwardly through the slots E until its upper end rides over the lug L,whereby its lower end is thrown forwardly in the lower slot E and itstooth R engagesthe front end thereof to hold the coupling deviceselevated.

A car-coupling of this character will be found very strong and durableand can be easily manipulated without going between the cars, beingautomatic in all its opera tions. The parts are of any desired materialand size best adapted for use in thisline, and considerable change inand addition to the construction herein described may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

\Vhat is claimed as new is- 1. The combination, with a car-body, thedead-block, longitudinal guides beneath the body, and a transverse plateconnecting the lower faces of said guides at their front ends andprovided with an opening longitudinal of the car, of the draw-barbetween said guides, buffer-springs therefor, a pin depending fromsaidbar and passing through the opening in said plate, and an expansivespring coiled on the pin between the draw-bar and plate, as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination, with thedraw-head having apin-opening and having elongated slots in its bottom and top, a

transverse pivot through said draw-head, and.

a double-elbowed arm mountedat its lower end on said pivot, of acoupling-pin connected to said arm. and passing through the pinopening,a catch connected to said arm and passing through the slots, the catchhaving a forwardly-projectin g tooth, and the couplinglink,substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head having apin-opening and havvided with a downwardly-facing tooth near and acurved catch pivoted at its upper end 5 to the arm in rear of said pin,with its body passing through said slots and provided with aforwardly-projecting and downwardly-fac; v

ing ratchet-tooth, near its lOWQlZiBlIigSUbSiFLIl-f a tially asdescribed. "5o

4. In a car-coupling, the combinatiomwith the draw-head having apin-opening and having elongated slots in its bottom and top, dependingflanges at the sides of the drawhead, and a link comprising a bodyhaving 55 pin-openings near its ends, a central depend ing projection,and a flat spring centrally secured to said projection, with itsextremities extending beyond the ends of the body and turned down, of aswinging arm connected to the draw-head, a pin pivoted to said arm andpassing through the pin-opening, and a catch, also pivoted to said arm,passing through the slots in the draw-head and pro- 5 its lower end, thespring on the link being of a size to pass between said flanges andstrike the lower end of the catch, substantially as hereinbeforedescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto atiixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM R. HUNTER.

Witnesses: I

HENRY H. CHAMBERLAIN, CLARA E. HUEY.

